Knitting machine



Jan. 9, 1940. K. HowlE KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 29, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 1 QZC e w/e) wawa 7% Jan. 9, 1940. K. Hown: t

KNITTING MACHINE 4She ets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 29, 1936 Jan. 9,1940. K. HowlE KNITTIG MACHINE 4 sneets-sheet 3 Original Filed Dec. 29,1936 nnei'h Jlo Jama, 1940. K HowlE- 4 2,186,o28

' KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 29, 1936 4 Shoets-Sheet 4Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED sTATEs I 2,188,023 Km'r'riNG mam KennethHowie, Norristown, Pa., assignor to Wildman Mfg. Co., Norristown, Pa.,a. corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application ,December 29, li, Serial No. 118,158 Renewed April 11, 19399 c1aims. (cl. 86-148) One object of the invention is to facilitate thetransfer of tops or welts onto a flat hosiery knitting machine from amachine which knits the tops or welts only.

In carrying out the' invention, a transfer bar.

is removably mounted on a carrier associated with the top or weltforming machine, said carrier being operated automatically-to cause thetransfer bar to take the top or Welt off from the needles of said top orWelt producing machine, whereupon said transfer bar may lbe removed fromthe machine and then used to transfer the top or welt onto the needlesof the fiat hosiery machine. This will save the hand operation of anattendant usually performed in placing the Welt on the transfer bar.

A number of welts may be taken off from the Welt producingmachine ontothe same transfer bar, and these welts then may be placed by theoperator on any one of several machines, or; of course, if desired, uponthe same machine, one 'after the other.

The transfer'bar, therefore, may be used,`-as it were, as armeans ofst'oring a number of welts' ready to be transferred 'to the needles ofthe knitting machine, or machines, when called for.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of a machine embodying theinvention, said machine being generally similar in some aspects to amachine of the Cotton type, lacking, for instance, fashioningmechanism.'

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. l looking from the left thereof.

Fig. 2a is a detail of part of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a Vertical sectional view of part of the machine looking fromthe right of Fig. 1

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and '7 are views of certain parts associated with a camshaft, carried by a pivotally mounted frame at the upper part of themachine, for Operating the welt transfer bar.

Figs. 8 to 16 inclusive are diagrammatic views of knitting elements andthe welt transfer points in the different stages of the transferoperation.

The machine employed for carrying out myimproved system or methodinvolves a row of needles mounted upon a needle bar operated to' producethe knitted fabric of the topl or welt in substantially the ordinary wayas is well known to those skilled in the art of full fashioned hosiery.The yarn may be fed to the needles by means similarto the endless band 2carrying the yarn guide as in letters patent of the United Statesgranted to Howie and Krieble Dec; 4, 1934, No. 1,982,991, and suitablestop means may be -points and Operating means thereof.

to a narrowing frame of a full fashioned machine, .and illustrated insaid applicationand patents,

employed' to arrest the band at the end of its stroke and this stopmeans may be similar to that disclosed in said patent except noautomatic adjustmentvof said stop means 'will be .necessary because nofashioning is done of Welt fabric, but F5. the invention is not limitedinthis respect.

A picot bar shown in Fig. 5 may be employed mounted similarly to thatdisclosed in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me Jan,-uary 1, 1935, No. 1,986,577, the frame carrrying said bar being shownat. 5a and the shaft upon vwhich the frame is mounted being. shown at5b.

If'onIy picot is to be formed inthe Welt, this picot vbar may beoperated by mechanism like that shown in the 'patent above referedto No.'15 1,986,577, or if designs are to be produced inthe lwe1t,=the`picotbar will be operated'by any suit- .able lace tackle, well'known tolthoseskilled in the art.

This picot bar When not in useisswungup- 20 wardly to its idie positionas is disclosed in said Patent No. 1,986,577. Because nofashioning op-'erations are. performed in producing' Welt, ,the

present `machine will be devoid of narrowing 4-25 A bar A having pointsa is used to take the top or welt off from the knitting needles, andthis bar is removably mounted upon its carrier frame lso that it can beused as a transfer bar to transfer the Welt onto the knitting needles ofthe fiat .30

'hosiery machine, and, as above Vindicated, `this barl A may be employedto store and carry a number of tops or welts, taken off from the needlesas they are successively produced thereon, up to the limit of thestorage capacity of the points a I of `said transfer bar.

The transfer bar is carried by a frame comprising arms 1, mounted upon ashaft or rod 13 and controlled by a set ofv cams mounted on a cam shaftc in a manner similar to that of the ,40 instep transfer bar disclosedin application for patent of the United States filed by me December 14,1935, Serial No. 54,469. I

"A pivotally mounted frame 41 corresponding carries the rod or shaft |3by arms I l connected with said pivotally mounted frame 41. This frame41 has a 'tie rod 8 extending between its sides on which are fixed arms9 in which is rotatively mounted a shaft VIll, 'and the arms are mountedon this shaft. The' shaft IO is under tension of a spring 24 tending topress the arms H downwardly, an arm 22 on shaft IO, Figs. 1 and 7,,having an adju'stable stop pin 22a to bear on the shaft c, so that thetransfer points may be adjusted accurately as to their relationvertically in respect to the needles. The transfer bar frame 'I may beswung upwardly to lidle position about the axis of the rod |3. When thetransfer bar frame is swung downwardly to bring its transfer points intooperativerelation to the needles, it is pressed rightward Fig. ,3 byspring I I, so that said frame will be brought into position to-beoperated by the cams on cam shaft. c.

One of the arms of the transfer bar carrying frame is provided with anadiustable plate |1 having a projection IB, to bear on the periphery ofa cam c3 on 'the cam shaft c, which is journalled in the lowerextensions of arms 9. This projection |8 limits the movement of thetransfer frame 1, 1, and thus the initial position of the transferpoints a to the nedles is determined, the adjustment at 22a aiding inthis initial setting of the transfer points.

The position of the transfer frame 1, 'I is as sumed while theipivotedframe 41 is in its uppermost position and can be attained desirably by amanual setting of the transfer frame. When' the welt is to be taken fromthe needles the pivoted frame 41, which, though minus narrowing pointsand operating mechanism therefor, is similar in its mounting to thenarrowing frame of a full fashioned hosiery knitting' machine, is given(by a suitable cam) a dipping movement from the position shown in Fig.8, through the postions Figs. 9 and 10 to the position of Fig. 12, atwhich time the points a of the transfer bar will have received the loopsshed from the needles by the knock-over bits. Then. the transfer frame1-1 is sprung to one side, or, in other words, it is given a slightmovement in the direction of the needle row, as will be described later,so that the transfer points now carrying the top or welt fabric willregister with the spaces between thev upper ends of the needles, and canreadily pass between the needles due to` the narrow ends of the needlesand points now being at the same level.

As soon s the transfer points havepassed between the needles towards thefront of the mai it all the way, and then rises with the frame 41 to theposition shown in Flg. 16, which as far's the relative positions of theknitting elements is concemed, is like that of Fig. 8. The carrier withthe top or welt fabric on it is then swung up from position of Flg. 16-to idle position, where it is held by a hook such as is shown in saidapplica i tion above mentioned.

The transfer bar A may now be removerffrom its carrying frame 1-1together'with the welt fabric hanging, on its points a, and this bar maythen be carried to a fiat hosiery machine, and the loops held byitsvpoints may be transferred by the handl of the operator ontotheneedles of the said machine for proceeding with thel knitting of thestocking.

Instead of removing the transfer barfrom the welt ng machineas soon' asone 'welt has been' taken by the points a of said vbar as above``gdesci'ibed, the may be operated to produce a number of welts and each,of these will be taken ofl' of the needles by the operation of theduced on one welt machine to supply a number of hosiery machines.

The lateral movement'of the said frame 1-1 to set the points oppositethe spaces' between the needles, and for Operating the frame 1-1 for- `lwardly, is given by cams c3.

The operating means for the transfer frame 1-1 includes the followingmechanism: An adi 'justing screw 2| projecting/from one of the lateralfaces of- 'the cam 03 contacts with an upwardly inclined projection 20'of a plate |1a.v adjustably flxed 'on one of the arms of the carrierframe 1-1 of the transfer bar, and as a result said carrier or frame isgiven the slight lateral movement mentioned above, due to the spring ofthe metal, so that the points a will then register with the spacesbetween the needles and can move forwardly between said needles' asabove de- .scribed to carry the fabric past the needles to the front ofthe machine. i

This forward movement takes place by contact of the periphery of cam c3with the projection |8 of the plate l1 adiustably fixed-on the frame1-1. The projection 20 is inclined upwardly and being carried bytheadjustable plate |1a, provision is threby made for accuratelyadjusting the timing of the raciring movement of the transfer bar justdescribed in relation to the associated movements of the. parts.V

For mounting the transfer barupon its frame any suitable, easily, andquickly operable means may be provided, such as notches in the bar andwing nutsa1 on the frame.

'The welt transfer bar will be as long as the needle row and will havepoints equal in number 'to the needles. The picot bar will be of alength to accord with the extent of the pattern which will beaccommodated: thereby. If, for instance, the movement of the picotbar-to form the design is to be equal 'to say sixteen needle spaces, itwould be that much longer than the needle bar,

' and would have additional points to correspond.

As in ordinary practice, the welt would be started by using a welt barto catch the first course of loops. Then the knitting of the insidelayer of the .welt'would be proceeded with, and after this hali' isfinished, a line of picot is formed, afid then 'the outside layer of thewelt is Vlrnit, and if this is to be in some fancy design, a lace tackleas in ordinary practice will be-employed to operate the picot bar.-After this second wall portion for the outside of the welt is knit, themachine Stopa. and the welt is turned by the operator as in ordinarypractice, or with the aid of the welt .turning appllances disclosed inLetters Patent Of the United States granted tO me 31, 1936, No.2,036,143. v

If desired, the "shadow" welt, i. e., a single wall extension of thewelt, mayA now be knit with suitable design therein derived from theoperation of the picot bar. This single wall extension would vary inlength from say 1" to 3, and might be plain or embody a design as juststated.

After the welt is produced, either with or without the single wallextension, the picot bar would be thrown up out of use and the transferbar would be lowered to operative position, and then the operation oftaking the last row-of. loops oil? from the knitting esonto the pointsof would now be lowered and a new welt started.

The welt transfer bar may be removed to transfer the welt to a fiathosiery machine when either one or a number of welts have been storedthereon by lthe operation above described.

The invention can be used in making rubber welts or welts with rubber intop, or plain welts.

'The transfer cam shaft c is operated from a cam 46 on the main camshaft ax, which when shogged axialiy by' suitable pattern control means,as is common in this art, into line with a roller 46a, Figs. 1 and 2, onarm 461), will operate a 'rock shaft 48x, arm 50, flexible band 5|,which passes over an idlerpulley 52 to a drum 53, to which it i attachedat 54, see Fig. 2. This drum turns loosely on the main tie rod 8 of thepivoted frame 41, which is similar in arrangement to the fashionin'g ornarrowing frame of the patents and application above referred to. Thedrum 53 is turned in clockwise direction by a` suitable spring 54a. Itcarries a pawl 55 pivoted at 56 to a wing 51 extending from the drum.The pawl is adapted to engage a ratchet 58 hav- .ing four teeth 90apart, said ratchet being loose on tie rod 8. vThe pawl is pressed by aspring 60 into engagement with the ratchet, `when permitted to do so, bya shield 6|, vFigs. 2 and 2a. The ratchet has pinned to it a gear wheel62, which meshes with the pinion 63 .fixed' on the transfer cam shaft c.This pawl and ratchet mechanism turns the said cam shaft c when theloops of the 'welt fabric are to be removed by the transfer bar from theneedles of the vwelt forming machine. At each action of the pawl, theratchet is tumed one quarter of a revolution. tween the pinion and thegear whee1,'so that the cam sh'aft is given a one half revolution foreach action of the ratchet wheel. The transfer cam shaft c` is calledinto action by pattern 'mechanism of any suitable form when action ofthe pivoted frame 41 takes placel in coordination with the welt transferbar, and the latter is'to perform'its function. Therefore, means areprovided whereby this transfer cam shaft c is allowed to remain at restat other' times. This means includes the shield 5| on the peripheral egeof which the pawl 55 is adaptedv to ride. By

' automatically setting this shield, the pawl 55 is permitted to engagethe ratchet, or' is prevented from having such engagement. This shieldis adjusted automatically by a rod 64 from a lever 65 pivoted at 66 tothe machine frame, and having its free end riding upon a cam 81 providedwith notches 68. When this cam 61 turns so that the end of theleverifails into one of the notches, the shield,'under the action of thespring 89, will move to the right, Figs. 2 and 2a, and expose the toothof the ratchet tothe action o f the pawl, whereas, when' the .lever 85rides onthe periphery of the cam, 61,-the shield .will be pulled by therod leftward, Fig. 2, and will shield the ratchet tooth from engagementby the pawl and the transfer cam shaft lc will not be operated.

" Thecam 61 is mountedfion a shaftv b, similar to ,a-'shaft of thepatertd organization above mentioned.

It willbe noticed that the band which operates,

There is a two to one ratio bethe cam shaft c extenus over the pulley 52at a point in line with the axis of the pivot 54x of thepivotallymounted frame 41, so that said ban/d will not be aifected inany way by the swinging movement of this frame. This frame is given itsdipping movement by links 46 operated from a rock shaft 49 through arms48 by a cam 49x, and roller 49a, Fig. 1, as in Patent 1,982,991.

It will be seen from Fig. 14 that the transfer points pass down betweenthe knockover bits, so that the fabric rests on top of thesaid bits.'This action determines the level that the fabric loops will Aoccupyrelative to the lower ends of the points to insure their maintenancethereon.

I claim: i

1. In combination with mechanisrn for, knitting tops or welts including'a row -of needles,

a transfer bar havinglpoints to take off from 'adapted to transferthe'said loops tovthe needles of a fiat hosiery machine, the saidrelative movement of the supplementall frame being downward and upwardand substantially horizontally forward and backward in respect to theneedles.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the supplemental framereceives its upward and I downward movement from the main frame (similarto a regular narrowing frame) and forward and .backward movements from'its Operating means independently of the main frame. reiative to theneedles, substantially as'described.

3. A knitting machine having a row of needles with means for Operatingthe same to produce tops or welts, a transfer bar for removing tops`orwelts from the needles for transfer onto the needles of a fiat hosierymachine, a carrier for the top or welt transfer bar with which said baris removably connected for transfer by hand to a fiat hosiery machine, amovable main frame operating the carrier upwardly relatively to theneedles to carrythe points of the bar to racking position, i. e., to aheight above the level of the eyes of the needles, cam means mounted onsaid main frame for pressing said carrier laterally a half needle spaceto align the transfer points with the'spaces between the needles, thenmoving the carrier forwardly to` move the transfer points to the back ofthe needles, thenmoving the carrierv frame laterally a half needle spaceinto alignment with 'needles the top or welt' fabric, a main framehaving up and down movement. a supplemental frame carrying the transferbar and movably mounted on the frame flrst mentioned to have .movementrelative thereto and to the needles, 'and means for Operating the saidmain and supplemental frames to cause the transfer points to remove thetop or welt fabric from the needles, 'said transfer bar being removablefrom the supplemental frame, together with the top oriwelt. hangingthereon, said transfer bar being adapted to transfer the said loops tothe needles of a fiat hosiery machine, the means forpperating thesupplemental frame including "1 a .cam shaft mounted-on the up and downmoying main (narrowing) frame, cams on said shaft, and means forOperating the cam shaft, substantially as described.

5. In combination with mechanism for 'knitting tops or welts including arow of needles, a transfer bar havingpoints to take oif from saidneedles the top or Welt fabric, a main frame having up and downmovement, a supplemental framecarrying the transfer bar and movablymounted on the frame first mentioned to have movement relative theretoand to the needles, and means for operating the said main andsupplemental frames to cause the transfer points to` remove the top orWelt fabric from l'the needles, said transfer bar' being removable fromthe supplemental frame, together with the top or welt,

hanging thereon, said transfer bar being adapted to transfer the saidloops to the needles of a flat hosiery machine, the means for operatingthe supplemental frame including a..`-'cam shaft mounted on the up anddown moving main (narrowing) frame, cams on said shaft,I and :means forOperating the cam shaft, said supplementall frame being movable to idleposition'away from the needles, or to operative position at the needles,and when moved to operative position'reia'` tive to the needles beingthereby positioned'rela- `tive to said cams to be operated thereby,submovements of said main frame, and means forv giving said carrierframe movements relative to the main frame and to the needles in adirection transverse to and lengthwise of the needle row, said carrierframe being pivotally mounted at its upper portion and the transfer barbeing carried w needle row being mounted on the main osoillati at itslower end, an arm extending substantially horizontally and connected tothe main'oscillating frame to which arm the carrier frame ispivotally-mounted at its said upper portion, said 4means for givingsaidcarrier frame movements relative to the main frame and to theneedles in a direction transverse to and lengthwise of the ing frame,suhstantially as described.

' aieaoas 7. A knitting machine having a row of needles with means forOperating the same to produce welts or tops,'a transfer bar for removingthe welts or tops from the needles for transfer onto needles of a fiathosiery machine, a carrier frame on which the transfer bar is removablymounted, a main frame having up and down oscillating movement on whichsaid carrier hframe is mounted, to partake of the up and down movementsof said main frame, and means for giving said carrier frame movementsrelative to the main frame and to the needles in a direction transverseto and lengthwise of the needle row, said carrier frame being pivotallymounted at its upper portion and the transfer bar being carried at itslower end, an arm extending substantially horizontally and connected tothe main o scillating frame to which arm the carrier frame is pivotallymounted at its said upper portion, said means for giving said carrierframe movements relative to the main frame and to the needles in adirection transverse to and lengthwise of the needle row being mountedon the main oscillating frame, said horizontal arm being pivotally.

mounted on said main oscillatory frame, and means for adjusting said armin a Vertical plane to set the transfer points in relation to the needlerow.

8. In combination with mechanism for knitting tops or welts, including arow of needles, a transfer bar having points to take oif from the'needles the top or welt fabric, a frame carrying the transfer |bar.removably, amain dipping `frame on which the carrying frame is pivotallymounted, and means for Operating thesaid car-'- rying frame downwardlyand upwardly. to take the fabric from the needles, then forwardly tocarry the points with the fabric hanging thereon to the rear side of theneedles and downwardly between the knockover bits to determine the levelof the fabric loops on said points, and then upvwardly to a position forthe removal. of the transfer bar, substantiaily as described. i

9. In a knitting machine having a row of needles and means cooperatingtherewith to produce from the needles and to then rise, and means 'foractuating the carrier relative to the main frame to move the points to aposition on the beardless side of the needles beyond the ends of thesinkers.

KENNETH HOWIE.

